Buying my first set of equipment - Aqualung Legend LX or Scubapro MK11 regulator sets

[galodoido]

Hi guys,

I've recently completed my divemaster certification and worked for a while as divemaster. Right now, I'm gonna move to Arizona and I believe I'll be diving most weekends. Even though I'm a divemaster, I still don't have a full set of equipment. I've been doing some research and it's been really difficult to decide about which regulator to buy, mostly because the "good ones" are quite expensive. I've been thinking about the Aqualung Legend ones, because I've been told that they're in theory the best ones and maintenance costs are basically zero. However, they are quite expensive. This is why I thought about the MK11.

What do you think? Any recommendations?

Thanks!

 

[BoltSnap]

You have several options with MK11 for second stages, which second stage are you thinking about? Also, why the MK11 not the MK17?

 

[outofofficebrb]

I think the MK17 is probably more comparable to the Legend LX. What second stage are you thinking if you go Scubapro? I was weighing between the MK17 and the AL Legend LX -- can't go wrong with both, honestly. I went for the better deal.

 

[BoltSnap]

The MK17/G260 or the MK21/G260 are in the same price range and they are awesome combination and I'd go either way. The MK21 has much higher flow rate but the MK17 is a better cold water regulator (less than 50F).

The AL Legend LX is about a $100 more than either of the two SP mentioned above. I have tried both regulators and I have used them in our dive school regulator fleet and we are partial towards SP regulators since they have been more reliable, less issues with maintenance (they last longer between service intervals) and better overall performance. The only other competitor to SP regulators that comes close or slightly better are the Atomic regulators. Nothing wrong with the AL LX however and it is still a very solid excellent performer and it is second to SP/Atomic. We have tried many different brands/models or regulators in our dive school and the universities I teach with; Atomic, AL, SP, Cressi, Mares, SeacSub, Beuchat, etc. and we have decided a while back that we'd only bring in SP MK17/G260/Atomic M1 for the school. We use the MK25/s600 for the advanced/deep/technical courses. If we didn't have the SP/Atomic regulators, I'd definitely use the AL LX regulator no problem.

 

[galodoido]

Well, I was thinking about an MK11 (with a S360 second stage) because of the prices of the AL LX and the equivalent Scubapro ones. However, I mostly heard better stuff about the Aqualung regulators. The thing is also that I will probably dive regularly for a long time, so I don't want equipment that's gonna give me a hard time with maintenance. I'm really sad about the prices though since I'm on a graduate student budget haha.

BurhanMuntasser, so you like the Scubapro regulators better then? And you think I should probably go for the MK17/G260?

Thanks!

 

[runsongas]

the legend comes with free parts if you follow the maintenance schedule whereas you would need to buy a full package including bc and computer from SP to get the same. if you are going to do a few hundred dives a year where you actually require servicing the reg pretty regularly, this may be something to consider.

the mk11/s360 or the aqualung core are plenty of reg for most people. if you don't plan to do a lot of cold water diving in <10C water temp, you would be just fine with a mid-end regulator.

the cheapest option is to keep an eye on craigslist or even ebay for some used regs and get them serviced.

 

[galodoido]

Got it. Which one would you rather have? The MK11/S360 or the Aqualung Core?

 

[Tracy]

If you are planning cold water diving, go with the aqualung. If you will never do cold water. Pick one, both are excellent regs.

 

[runsongas]

if you are just buying the reg, the core gets free parts and the barrel is metal which would put it above the scubapro for me.

 

[galodoido]

I am also probably buying a Scubapro Equator BCD.